Just Think
by vvvv1123
Summary: Annabel & Owen's Sequel to Just Speak.-Annabel and Owen have constantly faced problems and never had time to just be together. When everything finally winds down, new problems arise. Will they ever be happy...together?-
1. Chapter 1

Annabel POV

"PIZZA'S HERE!" A voice from outside yelled. I smiled, and got off my bed. I shut my laptop quickly, and rushed downstairs. Before I even opened the door, I saw Owen standing holding a box of pizza. He wore a pair of jeans and a Blink-182 shirt. He was smiling to himself, as he took his headphones out of his ears and jammed it into his pocket.

"Hey," I smiled, as soon as I opened the door. Whenever I saw him, it was like a whole other world. A tingly feeling just takes over and it just…it just feels so good.

"Hey yourself," He replied, giving me a quick kiss. We walked, hand in hand, to the living room. I stuck in the movie Owen had made me get, some gory horror movie. It was a typical guy move, but I didn't even care. It was the first time we were together since his Mom had grounded him for fighting with Will. Ms. Armstrong had strictly prohibited his rights to leave the house the first two weeks of summer, and no one was allowed to visit him. That sucked. It was probably the longest two weeks of my life. Even if we talked on the phone, I was still eager to feel his touch on my skin, his presence next to me. Today, though, it was a first night of summer together. And, I loved it.

I sat back down, lying down on his lap. He looked down at me, his eyes glinting from the TV's reflection. I smiled up at him, softly.

"How was your two weeks?" I asked. He shifted his attention to my hair, which he was fiddling around with.

Instead of answering, he bent his head towards me for a kiss. I met him halfway, and as his fingers entwined in my hair, I locked my arms around his neck. I crushed myself closer, so-

"DUDE! Open the dooooooor!" A voice yelled from outside. I sighed, and reluctantly pulled away from Owen.

I opened the door to see Rolly standing there, impatient. Owen rolled his eyes, and got up to stand behind me.

"Why are you here?" I asked, a bit annoyed from his interruption.

"Owen told me about the movie you guys were going to watch, and since I had nothing to do and Clarke's out of town so…" He trailed off, smiling sheepishly.

"The movie?" I stated, flatly.

"Annabel," His eyes widened, "it's not JUST a movie. It's like god in a movie and-"

"Fine! Come in." I rolled my eyes, and gestured him in.

"Thanks, Annabel. You're the best," He smiled, hugging me. He casually walked into the house and lounged himself on the couch. I looked at Owen; He shrugged.

"Owen," I said, wondering whatever happened to our night. Alone.

"Just for the movie, Belle. We'll kick him out after that. Promise," He pleaded, taking my hand in his. I sighed, it was going to be a long night.

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Owen POV

"Later!"

"Wait-" He held his hand out. I sighed, and opened the door again.

"Yeah?"

"That was a damn good movie, don't you think?" He smiled. I rolled my eyes.

"Bye, Rolly."

"No-"

"What this time?"

"Can I borrow the movie?" He asked, poking his head through the door.

"Lemme go get it." I said, exasperated. I walked backed in. Belle was lying down on the couch. Her eyes widened.

"He's gone?" She asked excitedly. I shook my head, fighting a smile.

"He's like a five year old kid." She groaned. I quickly took the disc and shoved it into Rolly's hands.

"Alright, time to go home, okay?" I enunciated each word, since he didn't seem to get that we kind of wanted to be alone. Don't get me wrong, Rolly's my best friend. But sometimes he just doesn't understand.

"Oh…kay." He trailed off, awkwardly. I shut the door, and shook my head. Oh, Rolly.

"He's gone?" Belle repeated, with the same enthusiasm as before. I nodded, and let me smile be seen this time. She sighed, and pulled me on the couch next to her.

"Finally, we're alone." She saw the look in my eyes, and immediately lifted her face up to mine. I tilted my head, so I could kiss her better. I locked my arms around her waist, to bring her closer. Her lips opened , and just as-

"We're homeeeee!" Annabel's mom sang. I could hear the keys jingling around, so I slowly pulled away. I could see the annoyance and anger on her face. I almost half-smiled. I kissed the top of her forehead. She closed her eyes.

"We'll be together soon enough, I promise." I whispered in her ear. She held on for a few moments, before sighing, and pulling away. We got up, and went to the door, where her parents were standing, suitcases sprawled out.

"How was your vacation?" Belle asked, a slight smile forming.

"Oh, Annabel, it was perfect. You should've seen Florida. It was unbelievable. The beaches, the weather, the massages." Mrs. Greene gushed, her hands flittering around. I smiled. Mrs. Greene was the most animated person I had ever met; she'd turn anything into a full-fledged story.

"Whitney's going to have the time of her life!" She exclaimed. Whitney had been invited to go to a private school down in Florida, and she decided to go now to get used to the place. I smiled again; she had come such a long way and it was like she was a new person. I secretly hoped the Mallory would turn out like her.

I looked down at my phone, before stuffing it in my pocket. It was around 11. I saw Annabel yawn.

"I'd better get going," I said. Annabel had a disappointed look on her face, but when she yawned again, she nodded understandingly.

"See you soon?" She replied, as her parents went inside.

"See you soon, Belle." I grinned, and bent down to kiss her.

"I love you," She said, smiling widely.

I chuckled. "I love you too."

"Bye, Owen."

"Goodnight, love." She shut the door, smiling to herself, and I couldn't help but smile too. No doubt…I had the best life ever.

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**A/N: HEY GUYS(: This chapter may have not been up to par, but it's my first time writing a sequel and it's kind of hard. Haha, but the other chapters will hopefully be better (and longer)! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And remember, REVIEW if you'd like, ALERT if you want, and FAVORITE if you loved(: Love you guys, and thanks for the support! **_**Just Believe Chapter 1**_** is coming SOOON!**

**Oh, and I might be slow on updating nowadays, but only because of school. I've been procrastinating and I have a lot of work and I need to get back into the work mode. Lol, but I'll try my best and get you guys as soooon as I can. **

~ 3 vvvv1123(:


	2. Chapter 2

"_There are mysteries I will never understand, but everywhere I look I see proof that for every effect, there's a corresponding cause, even if I can't see it. I find that reassuring." –Dr. Temperance Bones, __Bones._

**^I just love that quote, haha(: Anyways, thanks for all the support. I apologize sincerely for the sucky first chapter, and hopefully this'll be better. School is…wow. There's so much work, in so little time. I'm actually supposed to be doing homework right now, but screw it, I love you guys more(: Hahaha, well review, alert, and favorite if you liked, loved, and want more(: Love, vvvv1123!**

Owen's POV

"You call her Belle? Like beauty and the beast?" Dexter joked, waggling his eyebrows. I was going to roll my eyes, but stopped. I realized how much that fit us; Annabel _was _the beauty and I, obviously, the beast.

"Dex, shut up." Rolly muttered, fiddling with the soundboard. Dexter rolled his eyes, but somehow managed to keep quiet for a few seconds. He looked back up, and signaled a thumbs up.

"That was _Hey Jude _by _The Beatles_. Now here's Truth Squad's lead singer Dexter Jones singing This Lullaby live." I recited, as Dexter gently started strumming his guitar. I leaned against my chair, as far back as it would go and closed my eyes. I flash backed to a few days ago.

"_Mom. Mom? MOM." I repeated, watching my mother frantically pacing around._

"_What?" She muttered breathlessly, and turned to look at me. Her eyes had deep circled etched under her eyes. Her cheeks sagged, and her lips puffed from stress. _

"_Are…you okay?" I asked, slowly, enunciating each word. Concern knitted my eyebrows, and I steadied her by placing my hand on her shoulder. She looked as if she was going to pass out any second. I'd only been out of the house for one night, and I come home to find my mom on the verge of madness._

"_There's so much to do. Mallory's coming home. She's. Coming. Home. Do you know what this means? Maybe we'll function like a family for once. Maybe she'll want to go to another school. Oh! I have to set a date for…" She babbled to herself, flittering her fingers in the air as if she were painting a picture._

"_Mom. Go rest. Please. For me." I firmly gripped her shoulders, and steered her to her room. Despite her protests, I managed to set her on the bed. Once she was situated, she didn't budge. Politley, I stepped out, and closed the door behind me. I waited a second, and before I knew it, I could her sob. She sobbed hard, she cried, and she wailed. To be honest, it scared the shit out of me. For one, I was a guy and two, I had no idea how to deal with this. So, I immediately turned to one person, who did. My girlfriend._

"_Hey, so guess wha-" She began, as soon as I'd dialed her._

"_Hold that thought. Come over, I need you. It's an emergency." I stumbled over the words, and it seems as if they words itself were tripping over each other. _

"_Wait, what's going on?" I heard her voice change almost immediately, with the worry pouring through her speech._

"_Mom's having a panic attack. She's freaking…and I'm scared shitless." I admitted, running a hand through my hair._

"_Oh. Okay, I'll be there in a few." She hung up, and I just sat on my couch. My eyes darted to my mother's room where I heard her shout and sob and towards the door, counting the seconds till Belle would enter._

_4, 379 seconds later, the doorbell rang. I jumped and ran towards the door, revealing Annabel and her mother. My mother sobbed louder, and all three of us looked towards her door. Belle's eyes widened, and her mother sighed. She squeezed past me, and danced her way through the kitchen to my mother. Belle laced her fingers through mine, and we sat on the couch. We didn't exchange hellos, we didn't kiss, we didn't talk. And, we didn't need to. We just sat there, together waiting for the storm to blow over. Annabel's mother came out, a few hours later. Her eyes were red, as if she'd been crying as well. Behind Mrs. Greene, I saw my mother shyly walk out behind her. I looked expectantly at them, waiting patiently for what would come next. _

"_We're good." Mom said, sheepishly. _

"_As long as we have Friends! Joey's the guy!" Mrs. Greene exclaims, winking, chuckling as my mother laughs along with her. Belle and I exchange looks, wondering what inside joke we were missing out on. I raised my eyebrows, and my mom shrugged. _

_Before they left, Mrs. Greene and my mother were suddenly acting like they had known each other forever. Belle and I were both confused, but we didn't mention anything out loud. At the door, though, while they were saying their goodbyes, Annabel and I finally got a moment alone._

"_Thank you so much for helping me, I was sca-"_

"_Scared shitless, I know," She finished, smiling up at me. As I wrapped my arms around her waist, her arms tightened on my neck. I bent down to kiss her goodbye. A short kiss, but so many emotions were tangled up through it, it seemed long. She pulled away, and gave me a small smile._

"_Everything happens for a reason, huh?" She said, pecking my cheek and walking towards the car. I smiled, thinking about this._

"_I love you, Annabel Greene." I shouted to her, oblivious to the gossiping mothers. They both turned to look at me curiously as a goofy grin spread across my face._

"_I love you more, Owen Armstrong. More than you will ever know," She replied, displaying a grin of her own that made my heart want to belt out of my body. Oh, Belle. If only she knew that she was wrong, she had __no __idea how much I loved her. Oh, Belle. _

Annabel POV

"That was," Owen looked at me, waiting, "…odd."

He narrowed his eyes, as if he didn't understand. "Odd?"

"Yes. Peculiar." I added. He glanced at me for a quick second, and looked back at the road. He turned the volume down on the next song that was playing, some yelling mixed with loud drums and guitar. He turned on his indicator, and turned into a huge field.

"Belle, that was not odd. That was…enlightenment. In. Music." He emphasized, shaking his head as he turned the engine in the truck off. I rolled my eyes as he buzzed on about how this type of music shouldn't be characterized on how much yelling but the intensity of the yell. He slowly grew quiet, as he held the door open for me.

"Why are we here?" I asked him, curious. He had told me he was taking me somewhere special, but now I was curious about how a field was so special.

"Well," He started, rumbling around in the back of his trunk, "you'll find out." I smiled, and shook my head and turned around. It was around eight, and the sun was already gone. I looked up at the sky.

The moon was beautiful. It wasn't a half, but not quite full either. The color of the moon was even more astonishing. It was the color of a dandelion. It was bright, yet dull. I chewed on the inside of my cheek, and thought about it for a little while. It fit Owen and I. He was big and bright, oblivious to the hatred in the world out there. On the other hand, there I was, a dull girl with problems all around her. I looked back up.

"Isn't the moon so pretty?" I murmured, out loud, mostly to myself.

"Not as pretty as you." Owen whispered in my ear. His arms wrapped around my waist, and I could feel his breath on my neck. A chill zolted down my back, and I leaned into him. I wiggled around to face him, and ended up meeting his lips instead.

"Care to explain all this?" I breathed, a bit breathless after our kiss. He let go off me, and shifted to the right. On the bed of his truck, there was a small stereo, a tablecloth and a picnic basket. My eyes widened, and I walked over to the bed.

"Whaa," I couldn't contain my awe. Since when did Owen, the Owen, who is romantically challenged, make a simple date into _this_? I had to admit, it was very impressive.

"You don't remember? A few weeks ago when we are at the hospital with Mal, she asked you about your 'ideal' date." He chuckled. I looked at him, amused.

"I thought you weren't there…" I trailed off, confused. I quickly went back in my head. Yup, he wasn't there.

"I wasn't. But, Mallory has a mouth," He grinned, "she told me all about it, and told me that you deserved to have it after helping me, her, my mom, and the whole world." I grinned back.

"Oh," I replied. My life was so awesome. This was the best date ever and it hadn't even begun yet. Have I mentioned how much I love my life?

We talked for hours and hours and hours. Now, I was lying beside Owen on the bed of his truck, gazing at the stars. The radio was playing a country song, and I closed my eyes. I thought about everything. How life can rise just as fast as it tumbles down. How a single word and make you love a person, but at the same time lose your trust to a person. How everything changes in your life so quickly it's a blur, but you always know the one person who pulls through and sticks with you. I opened my eyes, and there that person was. Owen. He looked down at me. Before I could say a word, he lifted my head up, and pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss. Like, one of those movie kisses. We ended up wasting a lot of time making out, but after a little bit I had to pull away.

"Owe-"

"Wait," He held up a finger, and looked at his phone. We were quiet for a few seconds till he turned back to me, a full-fledged smile on his face. I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion.

"Annabel," He started, "I love you."

"Love you too," I replied with a smile.

"And, happy birthday." He finished, pulling me into a kiss. Hm, guess it was my birthday. My last thought before I got lost into Owens kiss was: Boy, this was going to be one entertaining birthday.

**A/N: All characters belong to Dessen, and I wouldn't have this story without her, haha(: Love her & love you guys(: Hope you enjoyed it! The drama comes next chapter(: Hahahha be awaiting(: **

**Love, vvvv1123(;**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:**_** Read away, you guys(: Sorry for the late update, but I hope this makes up for it! I love you guys with all my heart. And the next chapter will hopefully be longer, better, and be updated faster than you can blinkk. Alert if you want, Favorited if you liked, Review if you loved. Thanks for your unbelievable constant support, and just to make sure: All characters belong to Sarah Dessen. As much as I would love to be her, I do not own these names or identities in anyway. Enjoyy, wonderful people(: **

Owen's POV

My day was going great. I had woken up late, since Belle was eating lunch with her family. Around three, I picked her up, and we went through 123Suds about ten times. We ended up kissing half the time but the carwashes were still as amazing as the first time we had gone through. Then, I took her to Clarke's house. Clarke had thrown a surprise pool party for her. So, we stayed there for a few hours. I've never seen Annabel look so blissful, it was reassuring. Later that night, Annabel had come up to me and asked if we could watch a movie over at my place. Just us. I obviously obliged, and after saying our goodbyes, we drove back to my house. We walked, hand in hand, to the door. My day _was_ going great. And then, I found my mom with her lips on a man I've never seen before. Oh hey, my day just got ruined.

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Annabel's POV

Walking in on Mrs. Armstrong was pretty awkward. Knowing the man who she was kissing was probably a bit more. My eyes widened, as I took in the image of Mr. Reiny. He was still as all, maybe even taller. His black hair was thinning, and on the verge of turning grey. He looked just as shocked as everyone in the room was. He ran his hand through his hair before he stood up. Instead of looking at me, he turned to Owen.

"Owen, this was not how I wanted to do this…" he started. Mrs. Armstrong awkwardly got up, staring at me. I could tell she wanted me to leave. Before I could do anything, though, Owen suddenly understood our exchange of looks. He released my hand, only to replace it by firmly securing it around my waist. I could hear Mrs. Armstrong sigh, but she didn't budge Owen. When Owen didn't reply to Mr. Reiny and his fingers kept getting tighter and tighter on my waist, I knew it was time to slice the air with some conversation.

"Mr. Reiny, how are you?" I casually asked, as he looked over me as if noticing me for the first time. Owens eyes widened, and whispered, "You know this man?" I nodded swiftly so Mr. Reiny couldn't see. Mr. Reiny smiled, after quickly glancing between Owen and me.

"Fine, the store's doing great! Are you Owen's girlfriend?"

I smiled widely, "Yes sir. We've been going strong for almost a year and a half now." I could feel Owen's grip softening, and a smile forming on his face.

"She's the best thing that's ever been mine." He replied, without hesitation. He looked at me with pure adoration and love in his eyes. I have to admit, it was very cute when Owen quoted Taylor Swift (Mallory had made him listen to hours and hours of Taylor one night at the hospital; it was hilarious). I giggled, and pecked his cheek.

"Anyways…" Mrs. Armstrong interrupted (she hated when we showed 'PDA'), she looked at Owen nervously. Owen's face turned from loving to angry within a few seconds. He looked back at her, with one brow up.

"Mom, um, who is that?" He jabbed a finger in Mr. Reiny's direction. Mr. Reiny owned a warehouse shop up north. Mr. Reiny and my dad were best friends in high school, and every year we'd visit him. But, that stopped a while ago. Dad and he got into this huge fight a few years back and this was the first time I've seen him in a while.

"Well, honey…" His mom started.

"Well, Owen…" Mr. Reiny started.

"See…" They both said, figuring out a way to put this into words.

"I'm your real dad." Mr. Reiny stated. Short and simple.

"Oh."

All four of us stood shocked, our bodies frozen. My mind kept going, and it started clicking all the pieces together. I could actually see Mr. Reiny's features in Owen's face. And his tallness, the running his hand through the hair thing, and just the way they both acted. It made sense. The second it did, I looked over at Owen. I thought maybe he'd be mad, maybe over the top pissed. But…all he said was, "Why?"

Mr. Reiny sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He looked at Owen, a sad expression on his face. He looked about ready to spill out a thousand apologies.

"Well, this lady ha-"

"Bullshit." Owen interrupted. Within a few seconds, without letting anyone speak, he grabbed my hand and pulled me upstairs. I went along with him, startled. I stole a quick glance towards Mr. Reiny, who was on the verge of tears and Mrs. Armstrong who had her head in her hands. When we reached to Owen's room, he slammed the door.

"Owe-"

"What?" He said, frustrated, interrupting me again. I tried not to take his harsh tone too personally.

"Give him a chance," I stated, simply like none of this was a big deal. I sat down on his bed. He sighed, and flopped down next to me. He looked at me, his face expressionless.

"That's my Dad down there, Belle. My dad. _My dad_. And he just shows up into my life, and even worse _swallowing_ my Mom? Do they expect me to be okay with it all and act normal? I haven't seen him in years…god. _God_." Owen muttered, obviously overwhelmed. I moved my arm, placing it over his. I leaned against his shoulder. We both closed our eyes, hoping every bit of misfit, every drop of problems, and every single moment of unhappiness would disappear immediately. Downstairs, you could hear the hushed murmurs of Owen's parents. I shut my eyes tighter, hoping to hear a few words of their conversation. I picked out a few: "I'm so worried!" "Owen's hasn't been this angry since…" "I'll go later; he just needs to cool off."

I opened my eyes, and I turned to stare at him.

"We wanted to watch a movie, right? C'mon. Let's not ruin the rest of my birthday, like the three hours left. Okay?"

Owen looked at me, and smiled softly.

"By the way, I loved the Taylor Swift lyrics." I added with a smirk. His smile flopped into a grin, and he wound his arm around my waist and kissed me.

"I do it only for you," he chuckled, kissing me again. I smiled against his kiss, and reluctantly pulled away. He pouted as I got up and popped a movie in his TV. I positioned myself so I was lying down on his lap. I looked at me, patient.

"Owen."

"Yeah?" He looked down from the screen, and right into my eyes.

"Give him a chance."

Owen's eyes suddenly failed to meet mine. He sighed.

"It's not as easy as you think it is, Belle." He whispered.

"No, Owen, you're just making it difficult."

"Do you know what it feels like to be left out on? You don't feel the pain." His voice started rising, his voice cracking on the word, 'pain'.

"Well, maybe if you gave him a chance-" I sat up. He turned and looked at me, his eyes unreadable with emotion.

"A chance? You want me to give him a chance? Do you know what he's done to me? Physically? Mentally? He's ruined half my damn life, Annabel. _You_ may be perfect, but you have _NO _idea what I'm going through.

"Maybe if he was there, I wouldn't have gotten to Anger Management. Maybe if he was there, I would've had a role model. Maybe if he was there, I would've understood what it was like to HAVE a father. Maybe, I would've had someone to love me."

As I stared at Owen, the insult he had stung me with flew right past my head. Owen looked like he was going to break down in tears. He placed his face on his hands, covering his face completely. I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Owen…" I said, softly, my voice almost a whisper. He peeked through the fingers of his hands. I wasn't sure, but I might've seen a tear streaming down his face.

"Just try, and what if-"

"No. Annabel, _you_ what if. I know you're always doing the best for me and shit. But, I'm on the verge of breaking down, and the most you can say is 'try'? Listen, I know that you're going through a hard time, and everyone's helping…but ever thought about someone else for a change?"

"Of course I car-"

"Oh, save it, Annabel. People other than you have problems. It's not just, 'Oh everyone loves me!' or 'The whole world revolves around me!' all the fu-freaking time. Come into reality. It's not all sweet like you think it is. Everyone can't be as perfect as your stupid pop singers. And everyone sure as hell ain't you. So shut up with the 'try Owen try' stuff, and _try_ caring for once."

Funny how your day from happy to horrible in just a few seconds. It crumbles down, and falls on you, and that's when you realize: no one's there to help you. I was helpless. Great. My birthday just turned unforgettable, and _not_ in the good way.

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Owen's POV

I stared as her lower lip trembled. The water started to well up in her eyes. Her eyes were as cold as the winter. She opened her mouth, and closed it again. I smirked on the inside; maybe I did have the power to make her speechless. She opened her mouth again.

"You know what Owen? I'll go on with my perfect life. _You_ don't have to be in it. If you ever get your shit of a life straight, maybe I'll consider you back into my life. Okay? Kay. Bye." And with that, she slammed the door, and left.

I don't know for how long I stared at the door. I don't know how long it was till I started to cry.

And, damn. Did I cry.


	4. Chapter 4

Annabel's POV

It had been five days without Owen now. Five days with no happiness in my day, no smile on my face. Five days with an emptiness in my heart, with no motivation what so ever. Yeah, these five days had been _**hell**_. Every night, I went to sleep thinking of him, just to wake up thinking about him. Sometimes, when I cried, I couldn't stop because he wasn't there to comfort me. I would try and close my eyes, and think of the greatest times we've had together, but that made me bawl even harder. He wasn't there to make me smile, make me roll my eyes, make me feel secure. I wanted to be enveloped in his hugs, and feel his arms around me, tight, like they'd never let go. I wanted his lips on mine, making me forget everything around us. I wanted to see his smile, hear him laugh; the two things that made me smile and laugh, as well. I felt violated without him, like I shouldn't be living without him next to me. I guess that's what love does to you.

I knew I could've gone back to his house, and apologized. But, it wasn't my place to apologize. It was him. He was the one being a jerk, and he's the one who should fix it. Even though, life sucked without him, I knew I had to wait for him. Patience had never been my strong point, and I knew I would cave sooner or later. But I hoped he'd come fix everything before I did. That maybe our relationship meant something to him too, and not just me.

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Owen's POV

I watched as Mallory casually walked through my door, eating a fry. She was out of the hospital, and she loved being out. She looked healthier, which was a good thing. At the same time, though, she ate McDonald's almost every day. It was kind of…gross. Mom would try and stop her, but she still hadn't realized even though she should gain weight, she shouldn't gain _bad_ weight.

I watched as she sat down on my chair, next to the desk. She rolled around, facing me.

"When are you going to start fixing things?" She asked, solemnly.

"What?"

"When are you, Owen Armstrong, going to make things right so everyone will be happy again?" She repeated slowly, as if I was stupid.

"You don't even know what happened!" I exclaimed. It was true, though. Mal came home the next day my _supposed father_ decided to show up. Mom suddenly remembered that Mallory was coming home, so she told whatever-the-hell-his-name-was to bust a move. Then, she and I promised that we keep this from Mallory till we settle whatever-the-hell-we-needed-to-settle settled.

"No, I don't," She replied, awkwardly.

"But, all I know is that Annabel is never around anymore, and I miss her. Mom is acting weird and she's acting too fake. And…Owen, you're not you. So, fix them before I get involved." She added, and stood up. I stared at her, in awe. Just a few weeks ago, she was a frail little feather, and now she comes up to me and demands that I make things right. I sighed.

"Yeah. Whatever," I mumbled. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for the correct response.

"Okay! Mal. I'll fix it, okay? Jeez, _mother_." I replied, rolling my eyes. She said something under her breath, before waving me off. As she stalked off, I just stared at my wall. My thoughts were only centered on one thing: _The father_.

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Owen's father's POV

I sighed. I'm a grown man, a grown man for god's sake. And I can't even keep myself together. There was a moment in my life where I thought being in love was everything. I thought that maybe being in love would get rid of all of my problems. My past. I closed my eyes. Leaving Owen and his mother wasn't an option. I had no choice. I wiped off a tear that was seeping through my eyes, no. No, I couldn't cry right now. I shut my eyes tighter, laid down on the hotel bed.

"_Why, Matt?" She yelled. Owen who was behind her, had his hands smashed against his ear. He hated loud noises, especially when we fought. I gave him a pointed look, and he ran quickly up the stairs, informing us that he was going to go play with his toy cars. I look back at Michelle, her make-up smeared on her face._

"_Don't you dare ask me why, Michelle." I replied monotonously. She squinted her eyes, and took a step closer. Her eyes were puffy, and red as if she'd been crying the whole day. _

"_Why not? You're then one screwing around with that bitch, Matt." She spat, disgusted. I raised my eyebrows, and I couldn't help but raise my voice too. _

"_I did not screw around with anyone for the last time, Michelle. That secretary came on me. She pulled me, and kissed me. I shoved her away, told her I was a married man with a wonderful kid. She just pulled me back. God, Michelle. You think that I would betray you like that?" I asked, bitterly. Did she really have no faith in me? _

"_No, Matt. I don't think you'd betray me, but you would lose all my trust. And you did. You lost it when we were dating in high school, cheating on me. And now, with whomever the hell that secretary is." _

"_Honey, we did not do anything. I pushed her off, and told her to leave me alone." She just closed her eyes, the tears streaming down on her face, closing her eyes._

"_Do you have no faith in me?" I asked, lowering my voice, just above a whisper. She opened her eyes, staring softly at me. My teeth were clenched, and my fist was gripping the kitchen counter._

"_What happened to us, Matt?"_

_I stared at her, speechless. God, this woman was unbelievable. Why didn't she believe me? _

"_We were so happy back then. You and me. High school sweethearts, they called it. We were what everyone was jealous of, Matt. They all wanted to be like us. We were in love. What happened to that?"_

"_Nothing happened to that, Michelle. We are in love, but now I'm wondering if I'm the only one feeling like that. Do you even love me anymore? You've been doing everything to prevent us from leading a happy life. The question isn't what happened to us, sweetie. It's what happened to you." I stated, flatly. I started to get frustrated. I ran a hand through my hair, and counted back the days. Calculating the math, I was sure we've had at least a hundred fights this past week. Literally. _

_She stared at me, her eyes watering. _

"_You need to leave, Matt." I stared at her, speechless. I had to do everything to prevent myself from dropping my jaw._

"_Wait," I took a deep breath, stabilizing myself, "What?" _

"_We should take a break. I need some time to figure out things." I scrunched my eyebrows._

"_There's nothing to figure out."_

"_I don't have to explain myself to you."_

"_Fine,"_

"_Fine,"_

"_I'll go upstate, where our apartment is for a few days." I said, shaky. I couldn't believe this was happening. I loved this woman, and she trampled right on my heart, in a few minutes. _

"_No-"She started. She looked down at her hands, the tears spilling out on her face. I closed my eyes, waiting for the words. I already knew that those were the words I dreaded. It was silent then, except for our ragged breathing. We could hear Owen playing with his toys, laughing and screaming, oblivious our fight. Damn. I wish adults were like that. Not a care in the world for the sadness, and only making room for the happiness. Life would be so perf-_

"_I want you to leave forever." Michelle interrupted my thoughts. I sighed. I knew it was coming, but my heart still couldn't handle it. The tears on my face were displayed now, and I couldn't even look at her eyes._

_I gently pushed her aside, and went upstairs. I gathered most of my things. I stuffed suitcases up with everything that I would need. On my way back down, I stopped at Owen's room. His back was turned from me, and he had his dinosaurs in either hand. He was laughing and roaring to himself. I didn't need him to see me like this. So, instead of saying goodbye, I whispered, "I love you, Owen." I walked stiffly down the stairs, and saw Michelle for the last time._

"_I can't believe this." Were the last four words I said to her, before I walked out the door. I never saw either of them till now. And, now I'm in this mess. Damn, if only we were kids. _

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Annabel's POV

"No, the other movie's funnier, though." Sophie argued. Clarke rolled her eyes. She picked up the DVD and handed it to the rental guy. He was about our age, and tall, but not as tall as Owen. He had shaggy blonde hair, and light brown eyes. He caught me staring, and gave me a small smile. I smiled back, politely. I looked around, and Sophie and Clarke had already gotten distracted by the posters on the wall.

"You're Clarke?" He asked, smiling brightly. His teeth were white, in a straight line. I looked at him, quizzically for a second, and then down at his hand, where he was holding Clarke's card.

"Oh, no," I paused hesitantly, and added, "I'm Annabel."

"I'm Noah." He smiled again, holding out his hand. I smiled too (his smile was the kind of smile where you couldn't help but smile back, because it was so cute), and shook his hand.

"Kay, we ready to go?" Sophie came up behind me, giggling at something Clarke had said. She stopped, and stared at our hands. Noah looked down at her hands, blushed, and let go. He looked at me, apologetically. Sophie winked at me, and Clarke who had caught on immediately added, "We'll be right outside."

Noah chuckled, "Interesting friends." I laughed along, watching them leave.

"Yeah, they're crazy. They're amazing though; don't know what I'd do without them." He handed the DVD to me, along with the receipt. I reached for it, but before I could he took it back. In a few seconds, he had conjured up a blue pen and was scribbling down something on the back of the receipt. He gave it back again, and I took it. I waved at him, saying goodbye.

I opened the door to go outside, and tugged my sweater on tighter. Sophie and Clarke were by the car, and it took a few seconds for them to notice me.

"Annabel. Oh my gosh, who is that cutie? Such a flirt. He was trying really hard to get to you. He's so cute. You're going to give him a chance, right? Hmm, I wonder who he is. Never seen him around school. Weird, but Annabel, he is realllllllly cute." They gushed at the same time, not even breathing between their sentences.

"Calm down, guys," I laughed. "It's not that big of a deal. His name's Noah, and I think he's pretty cute." I smiled, giggling. Sophie squealed in delight. As I handed the DVD to Clarke, I remembered the writing on the receipt. I flipped it, to see what he had written.

_Call me, beautiful._

_628-988-2543_

**A/N: Thank you guys for being so patient with me, you have no idea how much that means to me. Hopefully, this chapter is better? But, the next one will have a LOT going on! Hahah, anyways thanks for reading & the support. Review, Favorite, & Alert? 3 Love you guys(:**


	5. Chapter 5

Owen POV

"Look," I stared at him in the eye, my expression impassive, "Don't expect me to forgive you. Cause I won't. Don't expect me to be happy that you're here. Cause I'm not. But…you make my mom happy. And, that's means a lot. She hasn't been this happy since Mallory was born. Then, you left. Then, I got into jail. Then, Mallory stopped eating. She went through so much, and I promised myself I won't let her get hurt ever again. But a few days ago…that was the first time I'd seen her smile. Do whatever, but just…don't break my mom _again_, okay?"

His eyes faltered for a second, but he nodded gruffly. He cleared his throat and mumbled under his breath. I turned to walk away, my job there was over. I wasn't going to talk to him again.

"Wait, Owen-"

"Yeah?" I turned around to see him look at me curiously. I raised my eyebrows, as he cheekily smiled.

"Annabel, huh?" He asked. I stopped breathing for a second. My eyes dropped to the floor, and my head started hurting. Not the migraine kind, but when you hear something that hurts so bad, you just feel like complete shit. That's what I felt like. I felt dizzy for a few seconds, and I looked back up at him. He suddenly recognized why I was acting this way, and his eyes widened.

"Oh-Owen, I'm so sorry!" I waved him off, my eyes tearing up. I closed my eyes for a second, clearing my mind. But, there was one thing that just wouldn't leave. **Annabel.**

**/**

Annabel POV

"Pick you up at 8?" His cheery voice filled the receiver.

"Sure, I guess." I replied reluctantly, not having the heart to say no. Saying goodbye, I put my phone down, and undressed. I stepped into the shower, turning the water on. I closed my eyes. I'd been spending time with Noah ever since I called him the following day he gave me his number. At the moment, it sounded wonderful. A way of getting Owen off of my mind. Out of my life. But, each time I was with Noah, I'd compare him to Owen. I'd pick at Noah's flaws. I just couldn't help imagining Owen instead of Noah. It was horrible.

I looked up at the ceiling, my eyes watering. _I won't cry, not today. No crying today, I promised myself. _I closed my eyes, shutting my eyes tightly. Maybe some of the tears would understand, and crawl back into my eyes. I opened them again, and unfortunately the tears came out stronger and faster this time. Did you know the best time to cry is when you're showering? No one can hear your sobs, your screams, your agony. It's wonderful.

**/**

Noah had picked me up at 8, right on the dot. I got into his car (he never opened the door for me like Owen used to), and glanced at Noah. He smiled at me warmly, and shifted the car back into drive. He drove down to the World of Waffles, and I froze internally. I don't know why I was making such a big deal about this. Everyone who lived around here came to World of Waffles. All the time. But, all the unforgettable times Owen and I have had in here...

"Hey, you okay?" Noah asked, concerned. Confused for a second, I looked at him and scrunched my eyebrows. Then, I finally processed everything. I was at World of Waffles with Noah. Not Owen. I had to deal with it. I nodded a quick swift movement.

As we made our way through the place, Noah kept pointing at tables, wondering which to sit at. I shook my head at each one, refusing to sit at a table Owen and I have sat at. I was going crazy. We ended up getting a table in the back, the one by the dumpsters. Noah looked at me repeatedly like I was out of my mind, and asked me if 'I was sure' over and over again. I sighed, and mumbled, "Fine. Let's sit wherever." Noah smiled, happy (Owen would have listened to me and gone with my decision). We moved back to the front, and of course he had picked the one where Owen and I had made out on last week. The best booth I've ever sat in. It just didn't feel right with Noah. Noah slid in (Owen would have used said 'after you milady' in a super cute voice and let me slide in first; we always sat next to each other instead of opposite) and I looked at Noah for a second. Without hesitation, I slid in the seat across from him, and gave him a casual smile.

"Annabel, are you okay?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Why?" I asked, keeping my voice cool. I was going to lose it soon. Everything he did was just wrong.

"You just seem…off." He said slowly, taking in my expression. I must've looked pissed, because he didn't push me any further.

We ate in uncomfortable silence for the next half hour. We'd have awkward one word conversations, but I'd end them almost immediately. He didn't push on my weirdness, thankfully. I bet he was confused, though. I had flirted with him for the past two dates we've been on, and suddenly I'm not interested. That shower really pushed me over the edge. When the waiter came up with the check, I stopped Noah's hand and grabbed it from him. This was his final test. If Noah did this wrong, I would go back to Owen. I was a coward I know, I always went back. But, at the same time, if he did this right, I'd give him another chance. I'd try harder.

"No, its okay, I'll pay." I said, smiling genuinely. Noah shook his head.

"No way, I wouldn't be a gentleman if I let you pay, now would I?" He winked, attempting to flirt. I resisted the urge to tell him he passed that bridge a long time ago, but I didn't. He reached to grab the check.

"Noah, I'm serious. I'll pay. After this crappy date, I deserve to pay." I repeated, emphasizing on the fact that I was serious. I pulled the check away from him, and watched as he evaluated my expression.

"it's the least I could do," I added.

"Uh, okay. I guess…if you really want too." He gave up, slouching back against the booth. I groaned inwardly. Why did he have to give up? Owen always would fight till he won. He would never ever let me pay. No matter what face I put on, he'd always be the one paying. Noah, on the other hand, had given up within seconds, and had already ordered another pancake oblivious to the fact I was paying. He'd definitely failed my last test to give him a chance. I stared at him.

What had I ever seen in him? He was cute, that's it. He seemed like such a sweetheart when I'd met him. Then, I saw what a real man was. A real man was someone who'd open the car door for you. Someone who would actually listen, and care. Someone who'd never give up anything for his girlfriend. That someone was Owen. Damn. I had let go of something I shouldn't have.

I started to get up, when Noah looked at me, confused. His mouth was stuffed with pancakes and syrup. Ew.

"Wherryoogoin?" He asked, his mouth full.

"Anywhere but here."

He dropped his fork, looking bewildered. I stared at him right into his eyes, and told him the truth.

"I'm sorry if I was leading you on. We," I motioned back and forth between us, "are never going to happen. You're just too different than what I expected. And I don't what I expected. But, this isn't it. I don't feel anything when you hug me, when you say my name." I said. I bit my tongue, not mentioning the fact that Owen can make me feel sparks with the slightest touch or even just his voice. Noah was just a bug on a windshield compared to Owen.

"I'm really sorry if you wanted something else out of me, but you won't get it. You aren't a gentleman at all, and I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding a girl who'll tolerate you. So, this, whatever it was ,is over. Bye Noah." I gushed. Before turning away, I paused for a moment to see his reaction. All he did was sigh, and finish eating his pancake. I shook my head in disbelief. Jerk.

I had my head held high for that speech, and sure as hell I was positive I could keep it till I left the place. I walked out, but with each step I took, I could feel myself breaking. As soon as I exited the door, the tears started falling. Ugh. Why was I so weak? Why did I always have to cry? Always. I was so damn tired of crying, a part of me was surprised I had any tears left.

By the time I took two steps into the parking lot, I was full out breaking down. I don't know how long it was before he showed up. He wrapped his arms around me, securing me from the world. His arms tightened, and I felt myself relax in his arms. But the tears wouldn't stop. He lightly stroked my hair, pulling his fingers through it. He rubbed my back soothingly, calming me down when I started gasping for air when I cried too much. I don't know how long it was before he carried me to his truck. We stayed there for god knows how long. All I know is that I never stopped crying, and that his arms never left me. I was finally protected.

I don't know how long it was till I fell asleep. Before I passed out though, as the tears were still going, his lips brushed my forehead. That had given me all the reassurance I needed, and I knew I was safe tonight.

**/**

I fluttered my eyes open, adjusting to the light. I looked around, figuring out what had happened last night. I shut my eyes for a moment, and everything flooded back to me. I opened my eyes again, and looked to my right. We were still in his truck, and Owen was right next to me, asleep. His right arm was loosely around my waist, and his other hand was holding mine. I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him up. My head felt so dizzy, probably from crying so much last night. I rolled my eyes at myself. I was such a coward. The one thing I hated about myself.

My eyes trailed back to Owen, who had half opened his eyes. He smiled groggily at me.

"Hi," I whispered, hesitant. What was I supposed to say? Do?

"I missed you." He mumbled, his voice, husky. I sat up, startling him. I took my hand away, and shifted to the other side of the truck. Now, he was awake. He stared at the space between us, with hurt on his face.

"We need to talk." I replied back, avoiding the 'I miss you'. He ran a hand through his hair, and sighed.

"Yeah, we do," he paused for a moment, and added, "Can I do something first?"

Before I had the chance to reply, Owen had closed the distance between us. He captured my lips with his, and kissed me forcefully. Just like that, he had me. I lost my train of thought, my will power. I gave up, and snaked my arms around his neck. Satisfied with this response, he knotted his right hand in my hair, and moaned slightly against my lips. My fingers caught in his hair, and I twisted my fingers to bring him closer. Words could not express how much I missed this. He smiled against my lips, and I couldn't help but smile too.

"I'm sorry, Belle. I'm so sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry to put you through this pain. I'm sorry for being a complete douche this past week, and I'm sorry I broke your heart. I'm sorry." He whispered in my ear, placing his hand on my cheek. I melted against him.

"I love you."

"I love you too," I whispered back, finding his lips again.

I was finally home.

**SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT. My writers block is FINALLY gone (YAY) and I'm going to start updating regularly from now on. So, expect a new chapter soon (: **

**Love you guys for all the support, I thank you from the bottom of my heart (: **

**Hope you enjoy! **


	6. Chapter 6

Owen's POV

She was mine again. Thank God.

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Annabel's POV

My head felt dizzy as I pulled back. My heart was pounding so loud, hopefully he didn't hear it. I licked my lips as I stared at his. _That felt so right, so right, _I told myself. I wanted to go back, mold myself into him. But I couldn't. He had crushed me, broken me into pieces. I'd done so well; I wasn't about to give in now.

"Owen," I whispered, reluctantness coated in my voice. He sighed and pulled back, but held on to my hand.

"Okay," I took a deep breath and steadied myself, "I've been-"

He held out a hand, and muttered something under his breath.

"What?" I asked, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"My dad and I made up, if that accounts for something. The only reason I did was for you," He said, letting go of my hand. Within seconds, his hand was on my cheek, stroking it gently. I leaned in, remembering his touch. _Ugh. I was such a coward. _

"Owen, look-" I started. I cut off again, when he put a finger on my mouth.

"One more thing!" He blurted out. I sighed. I raised my eyebrows.

"Did you listen to my radio shows?" He asked in a quiet voice. What was I supposed to say? I didn't want to lie to him, but at the same time, I don't want to seem like some lovesick chick who couldn't let go. It seemed pathetic. I closed my eyes for a second.

"Uh, I-um, yeah. I did," I softly replied, successfully avoiding his eyes. I glanced at him quickly, and he smiled at me. I blushed in embarrassment. _Oh god_. My answer seemed to satisfy him thoroughly. He won, and we both knew it.

His arm encircled my waist, pulling me closer, and whispered into my ear.

"How about we go get waffles, go through the car wash, and finish that movie we started?"

My stomach growled in response, and he automatically took that as a yes. He kissed my cheek and mumbled, "I love you," into my cheek.

What was _wrong_ with me? I lost, I crumbled under him, and **I didn't care**. It didn't matter to me that I was a coward. It didn't matter that I had given up without a fight.

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Owen's Mom's POV

Matt and I had agreed on taking it slow. Too much was happening in our lives, and we knew it would be irrational to drop it all. Tonight, though, we were taking a big leap. Owen had insisted that it was time to tell Mallory. He was right though; it just doesn't seem right to keep it away from her. It wasn't fair to her at all. I just…she was so weak right now. She got home a few days ago, and she's still trying to get into a routine. Would news like this relapse her? Would it break her down again? Or would she just smile and let it go? Ugh.

I sat on the couch and turned on the TV. I needed to get everything off of my mind. I turned my head to the door, as soon as I heard the lock click. Owen entered with Annabel in tow. I smiled, looks like they had patched up their fight. I sighed, and reminding myself Matt and I had once been like that.

"Hi Annabel, looks like you two are back together?" I asked as Annabel waved. She nodded, blushing. Owen answered for her with a murmured, "I wouldn't let her go that easy." as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek. _Young love_, I thought to myself as I chuckled at them. I watched as they made their way upstairs, laughing and joking around.

I made sure they had gone before I let the tear fall out of my eye. How could I have been this stupid? I'd been blaming myself for all these years and now I realize why. Watching Annabel, I could see myself. When she left, face running with tears, hair in a mess, it reminded me so much of the day I kicked Matt out. We both had our heart broken. But, Annabel, she had done the right thing. She had listened to Owen. She had listened, and just like that, she sewed up the hole in her heart. I hadn't though. No, I was stupid. Instead, I had made Matt never come back, never see my face again. I had made a mistake. I had every right to blame myself. This is why Owen got into jail. He had never had a father to tell him how to be a man. How to do what is right. This is why Mallory had ended up in the hospital. Her father was never there to help her through it, to tell her she was beautiful. Out of the years, Matt was never there for his children, nobody, _nobody_, has ever told me I did a good job raising my kids. _And that was all my fault. _

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Owen's POV

The movie started playing, and we lounged on the bed. My arms encircled her waist, and she snuggled against me. I felt whole again. That sounds weird, coming from a man, but every part of that was true. My mind wasn't so fogged anymore, I could actually think. The migraines and the dizziness had stopped.

I stared at her more than actually watching the movie. She caught me a couple times, and smirked playfully. I kissed her forehead, closing my eyes. Maybe we could stay together forever like this, because this…this was perfect.

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Mallory's POV

I clutched the door handle, smiling before I turned the knob. Angela had set me up with this cute guy, attempting to make life seem normal again. It did, though, and now I couldn't get him off of my mind. I probably sound like some love sick teenage girl, I probably am. I chuckled at that thought, so cliché. His eyes were so blue, though. His chocolate brown hair falling perfectly into place, swishing it every now and then. We talked for hours, and it all seemed to fit. I was happy, complete. Super love sick, I know, but it was all true. He had invited me over to his house for a movie next weekend. I was ready for this, a new beginning.

I pushed the door wide open, to find the lights on. I put my keys down, and I quickly checked my phone before walking into the living room.

_See you next weekend, beautiful! –Nick_

I smiled, and looked back up. My smile dissolved. My mom was sitting on the couch, her hands knotted in her hair in frustration. My eyebrows knitted together in concern, and I shifted my eyes to the right. A man was standing there, and he looked vaguely similar. He smiled slightly before placing his hand on Mom. I raised my eyebrows.

"Uh, Mom? What's going on?" I glanced at the two worried faces in front of me.

"Oh, hey Mal. I'm so sorry, honey." She looked startled, and got up. She brushed herself, and came forward to hug me. I carefully pushed her away, and moved to the side.

"Mom?"

"Michelle," The man came forward too.

"Mal, this is my…boyfriend." She said hesitantly. I grinned, almost immediately. I placed my hand on my chest.

"Jeez, Mom! You really scared me-," I said, relief present in my voice.

"And he's, uh, your real dad," She continued, as if she didn't hear me. My grin vanished.

"What?"

It was completely silent for a laugh. My mother held her breath, ready for my reaction. I heard a faint laugh from upstairs, and I glanced up. It sounded like Owen was home. Maybe he made up with Annabel. I smiled slightly. I opened my eyes, and looked back at my mom.

"Really?" I asked, looking over the man now. She nodded. I cocked my head to the side, taking him in. I could kind of see it now. He looked like Owen too. He smiled, and held his hand out.

"Hey, Mallory. You've grown up to be quite the young lady. I'm Mr. Reiny," I took his hand, shaking it.

"I'm not sure how to process this, but hi. I'm going to go up for a while," I stated, grabbing a water bottle from the kitchen. He nodded understandingly, and I liked him a little for doing that. Mom just stared at the window past my head, but I shook that off.

I barged into Owen's room without walking. I smiled when I saw Annabel. Owen and her were snuggled up, and for some reason that made me so happy. She pulled away from Owen, and held her arms out.

"ANNABEL!" I exclaimed, hugging her tightly. Owen chuckled lightly in the back.

"I missed you, Mal. How've you been?" I could see the genuine happiness in her eyes that I was back home. No more hospital.

"What's with the _Dad_ stuff downstairs?" I asked them, directing the question mainly at Owen. He sat up.

"They told you?" I nodded.

"What'd you say?" He asked, propping his hand against his chin.

"I said, 'I don't know how to react to this. I'm going up,' and came up here to you guys. I really don't know what to do." I replied.

"Huh." Was all he said. He pressed play back on the movie, but his mind was somewhere else. He paused it again and smirked.

"How was your date?"

"You had a date? Details, details!" Annabel squealed, and pulled me on Owen's bed. I laughed a little.

"His name is Nick Tourse. I'm going to his house next weekend for a movie. He's really cute, Annabel. I wish you could meet him. He's incredibly funny too. He makes me happy." I smiled, Nick popping back up in my mind. I looked at Annabel who had frozen.

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Annabel's POV

Nick Tourse. _Tourse._ Noah's brother.

"Belle?" Owen asked, quietly. I looked at him, shaking back to reality.

"Annabel? What's wrong?" Mallory's voice had suddenly turned worried.

"No, the name just sounded familiar. Sorry," I murmured, lacing my fingers with Owen's tense hand. His hand relaxed, but he still looked off.

"You sure?" Mallory said, giving Owen a glance. I sighed, and I nodded.

I wouldn't tell Owen about Noah, I decided, not now anyways. I smiled at them, reassuring them nothing was wrong, because nothing _was_.

Owen gave me a kiss on the cheek, and I smiled. Mallory hugged me one more time, before leaving to her own room.

"Wanna finish the movie?" Owen asked, winking. I laughed, and snaked my arms around his. Pressing play, he positioned me on his lap. I ignored the noise in the background, and kissed him.

"I love you," I whispered, smiling against his lips. He kissed my forehead, and moved down to my ear, where he barely whispered, "I love you too, Belle. Always have, always will. And that's a promise."


	7. Chapter 7

**Annabel's POV**

"Change the station!"

I turned around to look at Owen, blinking back into reality.

"What?"

"Change the station, " He repeated, looking at me weirdly. He focused on the road again, before sighing and changing it himself. Suddenly, blaring drums were replaced with some generic pop song.

"Are you okay, Belle?" He asked, concern lacing through his voice like wet paint.

"Yeah, yeah I'm f-"

"Stop with that bullshit. Don't say fine, okay. Please, Belle. Tell me what's wrong." He halted the car to a stop.

"You promised, no games." He said, quietly. I looked in the rear view mirror to see Mallory quietly tinkering with her IPod. I could hear Jenny Reef practically yelling at her from here. She looked up, and saw the house that was in front of us.

"Thanks Owen!" She smiled widely, and opened the door. She gave Owen a kiss on the cheek through his open window, and checked her phone before putting back in her back pocket. She straightened herself, and waved at me before walking up to the door.

"Bell-" Owen started again, but he was cut off immediately.

"Annabel?" A voice came from the door. I squinted as I turned my attention to the dashboard.

Shit. I closed my eyes.

"Is that you?" His voice was becoming closer and closer. Suddenly, Owen possessively grabbed my hand. I opened my eyes slowly, realizing the two boys were intently staring at me.

"Who are you?" Noah jabbed his finger at Owen, before stuffing his hands in his pockets. Owen raised his eyebrows.

"Who am I? I'm her boyfriend. Who the hell are you?" Owen asked, in a flat tone. Noah cocked his head to the side.

"I thought I was her boyfriend."

Shit.

I avoided Owen's gaze for now, and looked at Noah.

"We were never going out." I stated, coldly. It _was_ true though, we never put a label on anything.

"What were all those dates then?" He asked. He was still hoping. Oh for God's sakes.

"That was before I figured out you were a complete asshole. And those were not dates. Those were hanging out with a friend." I replied, as soon as he finished talking.

"Hanging out with a friend, my ass. You're just a slut." He muttered under his breath. Woah. No one had called me that since Sophie. I didn't expect that. I shrunk back in my seat, clearly showing he had punched a nerve. He smirked in satisfaction as I wiped my watery eyes. Ugh, I was a coward.

I stole a glance at Owen, and his fists were clenched. Noah looked at Owen and smiled, "She's gonna leave you too, buddy. I'd get out now if you can." That snapped it. Owen opened his door, and walked around to Noah. He pulled his fist back, and smashed one right in his jaw. Noah, obviously overreacting, tumbled on the ground, moaning in pain. Owen got back in the truck slamming the door closed.

"Don't you ever call her a slut again. Ever." He said, pulling back out of the driveway. I snuck a look at the front door of his house, and luckily Mallory had gone in. She hadn't seen a thing.

Owen was silent the whole way back. Before he had promised me to take me out to the lake to have lunch, but I don't think it was going to happen now. He turned up the music, his silent way of telling me it probably wasn't the best time to talk to him. I sighed.

He stopped in front of my house, waiting for me to get out. I took of my seatbelt, with great difficulty since he wasn't helping me, and put my hand on the handle.

"Owen?" I said, pushing the handle slightly. He looked up, expressionless, but I could tell he was listening.

"Thank you."

He stiffly nodded, and I got out. As soon as I was out, he raced back out.

I guess I'd talk to him later then. I cupped my neck with my hand, closing my eyes for a moment.

My life was such a mess sometimes.

**A/N: **Short chapter, but quite a bit of drama! Haha, more to come soon! Hope you enjoyed.

Favorite, Alert, Review? c:

Love you all from the bottom of my heart!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N : So, as y'all know, Owen's my favorite character, and I love him a lot. I wanted to get inside his head a little bit, and show you guys what he's going through. It's a bit depressing, just warning you! **

**Hope you guys like it! Review, Favorite, Alert? **

**And thanks for all the support, you guys are the best readers ever (:**

Owen's POV

"She had a thing for this guy, dude. That guy down at the movie rental place." I pressed my hands to my face. Rolly didn't need to see I had been crying all day.

"Him? He's not even cute!" Rolly said. I peeked through my fingers to give him a look. He muttered a sorry, and gestured me to go on.

"While we were taking a break or whatever the hell happened two weeks ago. She was practically cheating on me with him. Belle. Cheating." I groaned in frustration.

"Wait. She did stuff with him?" He asked, confused. I paused for a moment.

"Well…no, I didn't ask her about him. I didn't want to talk about it. Ugh, I don't even want to talk about her right now. God. Cheating. Of all things. Goddamn." I heard Rolly get up.

"I would hear her side of the story first before you assume things, Owen. I gotta go pick up Clarke, but don't mess anything up, okay?" I heard him walk out, and slightly shut the door.

_Don't mess anything up, okay? Okay? Okay? _

Why was it always my fault? I was always blamed. Every time. I don't understand, though. What have I done wrong this time? The whole time we were on a "break", I was depressed as hell. I didn't do anything except let my mind gnaw a hole in my brain about how worthless, sick, angry, and depressed I felt. And Annabel just went and saw that guy. Maybe she was trying to get over me? Did she even love me anymore? She said the words, but it's a whole different world if you don't mean them. I was so focused on getting her back, just ugh.

I looked at my ceiling, my eyes getting blurrier and blurrier. I stood up, suddenly angry. I needed to get out. I was sick of people saying that it was all my fault. Cause it wasn't. No, not this time. I opened my window. It was easier than facing Mom, Mr. Reiny, and Mal downstairs. I swung my right leg out, and hurdled myself out on the lawn. I fell softly, and I silently thanked my Mallory for putting the soil there. She's decided to start gardening like Whitney had. I pushed off all the dirt on me, and grabbed the keys from my pockets. I started my truck, and hit the accelerator hard.

I don't know where I was going, and I didn't really give a damn anyways. I saw Bendo on the side, and I pulled in involuntarily. I wasn't planning on getting drunk, but when I walked in, something came over me.

_You're a mess. You're worthless. You don't deserve Annabel. She cheated on you. That says it all. You wreck everything you touch. You're better off dead. Dead. Dead. _

My mind was going in circles, and I couldn't stand the pain. I shoved myself in, ignoring the fact that the shittiest band was playing. Spinnerbait. I could drown the music out just as well as I drown out my mind.

The bartender gave me a look, but he handed me the drinks anyways.

_One shot for my dad coming back._

_Two shots for Rolly and Clarke having no problems in their relationship. _

_Three shots for that Noah asshole._

_Four shots for Annabel trying to get over me._

_Five shots for being worthless._

I opened my mouth to ask the bartender for a another round, but I couldn't even hear myself. Must've been the shitty Spinnerbait noises from the back. I turned my head just to glance at the sorry sight. I started to get dizzy, so I stopped myself. I opened my mouth again, but no words came out this time. I looked at the bartender, and by luck, he looked back to. His eyes widened, and he rushed over.

"Hey man, are you-"

My eyes shut down. My body shut down. My mind shut down.

Everything turned black, and suddenly it was abnormally quiet. I heard Annabel's hushed voice in the background, but before I could reply to her, I was gone.

_Don't think, don't judge. Just listen. Don't think, don't judge. Just listen._

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My eyes groggily opened, and I looked around. I trailed my arm to see Annabel neatly tucked under my chin, fast asleep. I rubbed my eyes with my free arm, and looked around. I was in the back of my truck, and it all suddenly felt like déjà vu. Annabel lying on my chest, both of us in a fight, oh god. I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. For some reason, I let Annabel sleep on me, so I carefully and quietly got my phone out.

_Are you okay? –Mr. Reiny _

_Where are you? Mom's freaking out. -Mallory_

_OWEN! Pick up your phone. –Mom _

_Dude, we're all worried about you.-Rolly_

_Did Annabel find you? Her mom's worried like crazy. -Mallory_

_Dude. What. The. Hell. -Rolly_

_Answer the goddamn phone, Owen! -Mom_

I sighed, and turned my phone off. They were probably afraid I was going to wreck everything wherever I went. I looked back down at Annabel, who I couldn't wake up. She just looked so peaceful…and beautiful. Shit. I mentally smacked myself. I was angry with her. Not in love. Ugh. What was wrong with me? I was being such a pansy. I let out a snort, agreeing with myself.

"Owen?" Annabel suddenly arose from her sleep. I stroked her hair as she sat up. I mentally slapped myself again.

"Owen, look we need to talk." All I could do is stare at her lips. How I wanted them on mine. So so bad. I kicked myself. Again. I leaned in, my self-control flying out of my own hands. I couldn't anymore. Thank god, she put her hands on my chest to push my away. I would've kissed her senseless if she hadn't.

"Look," She said, wiping her eyes a little. Had she been crying too? "I never cheated on you. I know what you said to Rolly, and I just-you know I would never do that. I didn't cheat on you. I promise you, I didn't. He was just a distraction, and-"

"A distraction?" I raised my eyebrows. Hm. A distraction.

"Yeah, it just I was hurting so bad, and I didn't know what to do. Sophie and Clarke were on my back the whole time, but I never wanted to rebound and I just I needed to forget the pain." She stopped for a second, looking at the floor. My eyes softened a bit, thinking about the pain. The pain I mentally and physically caused her. God, she didn't deserve me anyways.

"But, Owen, god, he made me pay. For all those dates. It was hell. Everything he did was not right at all. He wasn't like you at all. I kept comparing him to you, and ugh. I knew I was making a mistake, but I didn't know it was going to end up like this. It was all wrong. He was such an asshole, and I hated him-" I crushed my lips against hers. I couldn't stand it anymore. She was a bit shocked when I did, but when she realized what I had done, she responded back with the same eagerness. She smiled against my lips, and I smiled too. I was a coward, I was a wimp. But when you're in love, it happens right?

She broke it off a little earlier than I had wanted, and I groaned in reply. She half smiled, before taking out my phone for me.

"You should probably tell your parents where you are. They've been freaking out." She whispered, her voice hoarse from the sudden kiss.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, bringing her face to mine. She chuckled, and gave in. She wrapped her legs around my hips, and locked her arms around my neck. She hugged me close, and I took in her scent. I sighed in content. I missed her so damn much. I brought my lips close to her ears as she shivered from my breath. I pressed little kisses from her ear all the way down to her neck. I trailed my lips back up to her ear, and I whispered, "I'm never letting you go again. Ever." She smiled widely, and drew back.

"So, I'm stuck with you?" She said, faking sadness. I laughed, and kissed her on the lips.

"Oh yeah. Forever and ever and ever."

"Forever and ever an ever." She repeated, and I moved my hands around her waist. I secured her, reassuring her that I wasn't going to let her leave again. She kissed me again, and stayed there. I smiled.

This, _this_ was the best feeling in the world.

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**A/N : Oh, and once again, I don't own any of the characters in the book. Sarah Dessen does! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter is for **_**samcheese1**_**, this is how Annabel found him. And sorry for the delay, finals are around the corner (next week) and I'm busting my ass studying for it. After this week, though, you'll get plenty of Owen & Annabel! Thanks for the support guys, y'all are the best. Review, Favorite, Alert?(: **

Annabel's POV

I clutched my head in my hands, my fingers weaving through the blonde mess. Owen and I needed to talk. When we did, though, what was I supposed to say? I was just using Noah to get over you? That sounded so unlike me. But it _was_ me.

I sighed, and crawled into bed. I tugged the blanket up to my neck, and inhaled deeply. It still smelled like Owen. Of course. I closed my eyes, hoping sleep would overcome me and I would forget everything. Thankfully, it did.

_BZZZZZ. BZZZZZ. BZZZZZZ. _

I opened my eyes.

_BZZZZZ. BZZZZZ. BZZZZZ._

Rubbing my eyes, I checked my phone. I looked at the clock squinting. It was around 9 at night. Maybe it was Owen. A sudden burst of hope rose in me.

_We can't find Owen. _

_Do you know where he is?_

_Are you with him?_

_Owen took the car and left and he hasn't come back. What happened._

I was awake now. I got up frantically, and grabbed my keys. I had to go find him.

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I shut the radio off. Jenny Reef was not comforting me at the moment. I had stopped at every block, and I even casually asked a few people if they'd seen Owen. It wasn't till I heard the loud music down the other side of town.

Bendo.

Memories flew in my head.

Where I'd left him. Alone.

Of course.

Putting the car into drive, I pushed in a CD that Owen had given me. _If you need to calm down, listen to this. I love you, babe. Forever and Always, _he had written in squabbly handwriting on the cover. I'd never had the need to push it in, but now seemed like the right time.

_Annabel, this is for you. _ Owen's deep voice suddenly whispered through my speakers. I looked at the speakers, confused. What was this?

_My eyes are no good-blind without her, The way she moves, I never doubt her. When she talks, she somehow creeps into my dreams. She's a doll, a catch, a winner. I'm in love and no beginner; Could ever grasp or understand just what she means. Baby, baby blue eyes, Stay with me by my side; 'Til the morning, through the night. Well baby, stand here, holdin' my sides. Close your baby blue eyes; Every moment feels right. And I may feel like a fool, But I'm the only one dancing with you. _

Owen's voice filled the speakers singing _Baby Blue Eyes by A Rocket To The Moon._ I smiled faintly. Magically, I felt more at ease. The stress building up on my shoulder started to fade away. Of course he knew how to calm me down. Clearing my head, I focused on the road. I pulled into Bendo.

I rushed in, and saw Owen on the floor. People were surrounding him, yelling at each other over the music. I glanced for a second, annoyed at the band. Didn't they have the decency to stop? Spinnerbait. Of course. I looked back at Owen, everything clicking into place.

Shit.

"What happened?" I yelled at the bartender. He was still confused.

"He drank too much?" I sighed. This was all my fault. The bartender helped me lift him up, and take him to Owen's truck.

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I sat in the driver's seat and I looked in the rearview mirror. Owen was stretched out, completely out. He was unconscious. I found my water bottle, and moved to the back. I pushed him back up, so he'd be leaning on me instead of the seat. I splashed some water on his face. Thankfully, it was cold. His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled goofily. He was definitely still drunk.

"Annabelisthatyoo?" He slurred, his hands touched my face awkwardly. I pushed his arms down and nodded. He smiled even wider.

"IloveyooBelle, Ilove_yoo_. Doonutleavekay?" He asked, leaning back against the window. I pushed myself closer against him. I put my head under his chin. I felt a kiss on my forehead. I half smiled.

"I love you too, Owen."

I was waiting for a reply, but all I got was breathing. I rested my ears against his heart. The steady heartbeat. _Boom, boboom. Boom, boboom._ I looked up without moving my head, and his eyes were closed. I settled back down. A little sleep couldn't harm me. I closed my eyes, and slipped into a dream almost immediately.

_It would be fine_, my thoughts repeated.

And, it would.


	10. Chapter 10

Annabel's POV

"Is that good for your relationship?"

"What are you talking about, Whitney?" I switched my phone to other year, as I back out of the driveway.

"I just think-you two break up a lot." She stated. I cocked my head to the side, and took a left turn.

"What? We do not." I argued, tension seeping in.

"Annabel, calm down. Just think about it. You guys have broken up three times in like the last six months." She sighed.

"Oh,"

Six months? Three times? Really?

"I'm just saying y'all are indecisive; I don't think that's good." She replied. I smiled.

"Y'all? When did you get all southern on me?" I laughed, getting her mind off of Owen and I. I didn't need Whitney worrying about my relationship. She laughed, and I could hear the voices in the background.

"Florida has changed me. I can't wait to be back in a week, though. You have no idea how much I missed all of you." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"I can't either, any surprises with you?" I suggested, winking, even though I couldn't see her. In the back of my mind, I was satisfied with distracting her.

"Wellllll…" She started, and I squealed.

"Who?" I demanded.

"He's coming home with me. You'll find out then," She said.

"He lives here?" I made another turn into Owen's street.

"Yeah, he lives like ten minutes away from us. I don't know how I've never seen him. He swears we went to the same school though. Super sweetheart!" She replied, excited. I chuckled. I pulled into Owen's driveway just as Owen walked out. I quickly said bye to Whitney.

"Hey cutie," He smiled as I walked towards him. I intertwined my fingers with his, and let our hands drop. Behind him, I could see Mr. Reiny leaving. He waved friendly and mumbled something to Owen.

"Bye dad!" He smiled, and I grinned. Looks like they were on better terms.

"Dad?" I asked, curiously as Mr. Reiny got into the car.

"Yeah, he's not as bad as I thought," He chuckled, kissing my cheek. I smiled; their family was brought back together.

"What about Mallory?" I asked, looking up at her window. I could see her watching as Mr. Reiny left. She looked at me for a brief second, and I waved. Glancing back down at Owen, I raised my eyebrows. He sighed.

"She's, uh, she hasn't decided yet," He stated, awkwardly.

"Decided?" Sounded like the typical teenage rebel.

"Yeah, she's going to have to get over it though. They're moving pretty fast," He shrugged, "they're moving in like next week." He added. I raised my eyebrows.

"Moving in?" I repeated, dumbly. He nodded, his hand weaving through my hair.

"They haven't even been reunited for month though!" I exclaimed. He shrugged nonchalantly again. I see why Mallory didn't like the situation that much.

"C'mon, let's go in." He said, pulling me towards the door.

"Oh hey Owen, can you-" Owen's mother looked up, and stopped for a second. She shoved her hair to the side, and gave me a weird look, "Hi, Annabel, I didn't know you were stopping by." Owen protectively wrapped his arm around my waist, locking it into place. She narrowed her eyes at his arm but didn't say anything.

I smiled, "Owen needed help job hunting." She nodded, and watched observantly as he kissed my cheek. She _hmpph_ed and looked back down at the boxes. I returned my gaze to the floor, reddening a little. Owen sighed. Mallory came down the stairs.

"I can just_ feel_ the tension," She dramatized as she danced her way to the kitchen. Ms. Armstrong gave her a look.

"So, I heard Mr. Reiny was moving in?" I asked, awkwardly. She raised her eyebrows, still looking down.

"I don't see how that concerns with any of your business, but yes, Annabel, he is." She said, clearly condescending.

"Mom, oh my god." Owen started, annoyed, "We're going to be up; don't bother visiting." He pulled me up the stairs, and Mallory shot me an apologetic look. We sat on his bed, facing each other, knees touching. He reached for his laptop, putting it on the side.

"Your mom doesn't like me anymore." I clarified. He just looked at me in response.

"Why?" I pressed on, curious. We used to be on better terms but I had no idea what happened. His eyes glinted from the sunlight outside. I was mesmerized by his green eyes till he replied.

"I'm going to talk to her tonight and find out." I shook my head.

"Don't, I was just wondering!" I didn't want his mother to think I was snooping.

"It's different. I want to know, not you." He countered, a slight smirk on his face.

"Owen."

"Belle." His smirk grew wider, challenging me. His hand rested on my thigh, and he leaned in. I could smell his cologne. I closed my eyes, leaning in too. I'd missed his lips so much. He captured my lips with his, and he smiled again. I locked my arms around his neck.

"I guess we're not job hunting?" He mumbled against my lips. I cocked my head to the side.

"You have one job right now, babe." It was my turn to smirk now.

"Clever," He retorted, a bit breathless.

I brought his lips back to mine to shut him up. The funny thing about Owen is that he could make me forget everything with a kiss. I chuckled in my head. Even my own name.

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Owen's POV

Family dinners. I don't know when it started, but it felt weird. Mallory on my right; my dad and mom across from us. Mom never cooked either, and suddenly there was a classic American meal on our plates. My fingers tapped on the table, waiting impatiently. When my dad excused himself to the bathroom, I seized the opportunity.

"Mom," I asked. Mallory looked up after pushing her peas around with her fork; she knew what was coming. My mom looked up, smiling.

"Why don't you like Annabel anymore?" I choked out, awkwardly. She raised her eyebrows, as if she didn't hear me. Her smile disappeared though.

"She put you up to this, didn't she?" She quipped. I straightened up, clearing my throat.

"No, mom. She didn't, and she doesn't have to. She's my girlfriend, and I would like to know why you have a problem with her."

She got up, picking her plate up with her. She headed to the kitchen.

"It's not that I don't like her, honey." I followed her into the kitchen.

"Then?" I added. For some reason, I had to know why.

"It's just you two are so young." What the hell? Where was this coming from?

"And?" I could hear Dad stepping out of the bathroom. Mallory was poking her head to get a peek from the table.

"You are moving so fast in your relationship, and I just thin-"

"Don't even pull the "moving too fast" card on me, Mom. You're moving in with Dad, and it hasn't even been a month into your 'dating' or whatever the hell you're doing. You're just being a bitch to Annabel, and I suggest you stop." I pushed past Mom. I saw Mallory staring at me with wide eyes, and I knew she was going to ask questions later. My father started walking towards me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't," I warned, racing past him. I didn't need any sympathy. I slammed my bedroom door behind me, and collapsed on my bed. I groaned. Why was being in love so damn hard?

**A/N: **

**Sorry for the little delay! New chapter coming real soon. Favorite, alert, & make me happy and review? I love you guys so much and thanks for all the support. Hope you ENJOYED (: **

**Oh, and y'all excited for the new Sarah Dessen book? Lol, it does look good, though.**


	11. Chapter 11

Left, right. Right, left. I looked at Mallory beside me; she was more flexible than I was. The music kept going, and I wondered when it would stop. _Spin_, it ordered, and I spun. I heard the door click. I spread my legs, and put my hands on the ground so I could see between my legs. Owen's face came into view, and I smiled.

"Having fun?" He smirked. Mallory paused the game, and I got up.

"I don't know why Mal made me play this game." I sighed, watching her stretch perfectly. She was a natural dancer. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and rested his head on my shoulder.

"She's amazing, isn't she?" He asked, genuinely proud of his sister. I smiled, and slightly nodded.

"Stop talking about me!" Mallory complained, walking to us. She put her bag on her shoulder, and turned off the TV.

"Thanks for playing Just Dance with me, it was really fun!" I hugged her in response.

"Where are you going?" Owen raised his eyebrows, curious.

"Nick's here to pick me up. Bye!" And she left with a kiss on his cheek.

"Nick and her together, huh?" I asked, trying to ignore the fact he was Noah's little brother. He nodded.

"I don't know if I should be worried though," Owen was such a protective brother. I ran my hand through his hair, reassuring him. He smiled.

"So, why am I here again?" He asked, pointing at the clock.

"I was-"

"I have to be at the pizza place in an hour," He added, sighing. He completely hated his job.

"Owen,"

"I have to pay for my own gas like wh-" I put my hands on either side of his face.

"I found you a job." I stated. His eyes widened.

"Really?" I grinned, and nodded.

"Where?"

I picked up my keys. I pulled him along, and we got in my car. I drove for a few minutes, before detouring into a sketch part of town. Confused, he turned to me in concern.

"Why are we here?" He asked as I pulled into small shopping complex.

"Trust me. C'mon," I pulled his hand and led him to a shop right in front of us. He raised an eyebrow, but kept quite. We entered into the small room, and his eyes widened. Records, CD's, cassette tapes, everything related to music surrounded us. The place smelled strongly of green tea.

"Chad?" I yelled, looking around. Owen was too mesmerized by all the music to notice.

"Yeah, are you-" A guy, around Whitney's age, came up from behind the back door. He brushed his shaggy brown hair aside, and smiled.

"Annabellllllllllll," He stretched the words out, giving me a kiss on the cheek. Suddenly entranced, Owen narrowed his eyes at him, and protectively wrapped his arm around my waist.

"You must be Owen," He held out his hand. Owen took it hesitantly.

"Owen, this is Chad. He used to date Whitney before everything happened. He owns this shop, and he's leaving for the next few months to Europe. And I thought you could use the job." I introduced them, and Owen grinned. His arm let go around my waist, and I was glad he was more comfortable.

"This is all yours?" He asked. Chad shrugged, and explained the history of the shop. I sat on the counter behind them. Watching both of them, I slowly dozed off.

"_Get out of my house." I looked up, frantically at the door. Where was Owen? She stared at me; her eyes full of evil. I slowly looked around the kitchen, and then the house again. No one was there except us._

"_But-but why do you hate me?" I managed to choke out. I needed to know. _

"_You're not good for Owen. You never were, you never will be. You hear? So, get out of my house." She sneered through her teeth. She stepped back, and her hand snaked behind her. What was she grabbing? _

"_And never come back," She added, the threat clear in her voice._

"_And if I do?" I challenged. My eyes widened at my own confidence. I sounded more clear, and there was no fear present. She raised her eyebrows, the look of evil never leaving. _

"_Well, then, I might just have to do this," She pulled out a plate from behind her. She zeroed in on my face, as I realized what was going to happen. The pate would hit me right in the face. She raised her arm, and I closed my eyes, praying fast and furiously. Please, someone, save me. Thank the lord, at that moment ,the door opened and Owen stepped inside. Her face widened in shock for a second, and then she composed herself. He looked confused when he saw me, red and obviously pushed around. _

"_Mom?" _

"Belle." His voice came into my ears. My eyes fluttered open.

"Belle?" He repeated, his expression grim. My hand flew to my heart, shaking the dream away from my mind.

"Owen-" I stopped talking, looking around again. We were the only ones in the shop. I got up from the counter, stretching, "Are we the only ones here?"

"Yeah, Chad left and told me to lock up. He showed me the ropes and all that junk. So, you're looking at the owner of this shop for the next months." He smiled. I congratulated him and hugged him. He pulled away almost immediately.

"What just happened to you though?" Concern laced through his voice.

"It was your mom…and she was about to throw a plate at me." I cocked my head to the side watching him. He looked amused for a second, then hurt.

"Did you ever talk to her?" I asked, lightly, not wanting to push him. He intertwined his fingers with mine, and looked to the ground.

"She thinks we're moving too fast," He sighed. My mind suddenly flashed to Whitney. _You guys have broken up six times in the past three months. _I sighed. I wasn't going to let myself think too much. Owen and I were fine.

"Oh,"

"Yeah, but she doesn't understand." He put a finger underneath my chin, and tilted it up. I nodded.

"Look, I just got this new job. And I think we need to celebrate." He pressed his forehead to mine. I smiled.

"Sounds wonderful to me," I looked up right into his eyes, and kissed him. Why was I bothering about the future? I didn't need to, I had Owen, and he'd keep me safe. _Right?_

He brought his lips to my ear, and I could feel his hot breath. A slight shiver ran down my back, and I wrapped my hand around his neck tightly.

"I love you Annabel, and I'm not letting you go anymore." He whispered huskily before kissing me on my neck. I closed my eyes, enjoying his touch. His hand wound around my waist, and the other tangled in my hair.

"I love you too." I could feel him smiling against my neck. I moved my hands to his hair, and brought his head to look at me. I looked him right in his eyes.

"I love you too," I reassured myself. I crashed myself in his lips, forgetting that we were in a shop. I forgot about his mom, about Whitney, about our unstable relationship. I forgot about everything because all I needed to know was that Owen loved me. And I smiled, because Owen_ did_ love me.

**A/N: I'm such a bad person. Sorry for the delay, **_**again.**_** I can never apologize enough for y'all. Your patience is amazing. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for the constant support. **

**Review? **


	12. Chapter 12

Annabel's POV

Rolly turned around in the swivel chair, grabbing a piece of pizza with it. Clarke, by his feet, rolled her eyes when his chair hit her lightly.

"So, your mom doesn't approve of the relationship?"

Owen shook his head. I looked up at him, and he continued to stroke my hair. He leaned farther against the bed, so I could be more comfortable on his lap. I glanced at him, and then Rolly.

"Man, what about this radio show?" Rolly interrupted. Owen snapped from his thoughts and grinned at him.

"I got a sick show planned," He grabbed his laptop and I shot Rolly a thankful look. Owen had been more distant and consumed in his thoughts; he needed to get away from all that stress. I sighed, and looked down. Part of his stress was me, and I wasn't helping him when I was around so much. His mom had asked him to pick between her and I. He picked me. I was even tearing his family apart. _Ugh,_ I internally groaned.

A slow knock hit the door. Seconds later, the door opened, creaking quickly.

"Owen?" Ms. Armstrong peeked her head through the door. Her eyes widened at the full room.

"I didn't know you were having people over," She exclaimed, looking over before landing her gaze on me.

"And by people, you mean, Annabelle." He said, flatly. I looked down in embarrassment. I couldn't even defend myself. She shifted uncomfortably, placing her hand on the doorknob. She curled her fingers around it, twisting it. Once. Twice.

Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Rolly and Clarke. They were suddenly enticed in Owen's laptop, disregarding the awkward tension in the room. I refused to look up, though. I could feel his mother's glare shoot straight at me. Who could blame her? I was ripping her apart from her son. Even I hated me.

"If you want to talk, do it now." He added, wrapping his arm around my waist. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't be childish, Owen. There are bet-" Owen's fists turned hard. I could feel a ball of rock at my side. I quietly rubbed circles on his back, soothingly.

"Mom, leave. Just go." He whispered. His eyes were closed, and I could tell he was almost at breaking point. I still didn't dare glance at his mother. An awkward silence ensued. I heard the door shut, and looked up at Owen. Putting my fingers to his jaw, I pulled his face to mine. Oblivious to Rolly and Clarke, I crushed my lips against his. His fists slowly smoothened out, and he was calming down. I pulled back, and he groaned a little. I half smiled, pressing one more gentle kiss on his lips. Rolly cleared his throat. Clarke chuckled, her fingers lacing with Rolly's.

"We can continue that later," Owen smirked, and I laid back down on his lap. Rolly brought up the radio show again. I had a feeling Owen knew Rolly was distracting him, and he wanted Rolly to too. Instinctively, I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. I saw Clarke give me a sympathetic look before I closed my eyes. The last thing I remembered was Owen brushing his lips against my forehead, giving my hand a squeeze back.

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Mallory's POV

"Nick, I have to…tell you something." I looked back up in his eyes. His clear blue eyes. _How was I supposed to do this?_

"Shoot," He smiled, lacing his fingers with mine. I faced back at the ocean, mesmerized by the constant waves splashing back and forth. Weird, how everything can change in seconds, minutes, days, but somehow the ocean always managed to stay the same.

"You know I'm messed up, right?" I choked out, looking at the sand. _God, how embarrassing._ I peeked at his face, the hurt in his eyes.

"No, Mal, you're _not_ messed up." He replied, hard. I shook my head slightly, but he saw. He brought my face to his, making sure I saw him.

"You're beautiful, okay? And I'm not just saying that. I mean it. You're beautiful," He repeated, his voice progressively getting quieter. A soft smile grew on to my face.

"Thank you, Nick, but hear me out." He nodded.

"I used to binge," I started, taking a deep breath. _I was strong enough to do this._ The hurt grew in his eyes.

"And throw-" My breath hitched up in my throat. _Easier to think than to say. _I looked at him, hopeless. He'd get it.

"Up," He finished. I sat in the sand, digging my feet in the ground. I felt an arm around my shoulders, and tears started dropping from my eyes, one by one. _Beyond embarrassing._

"I'm not a douche like my brother, Mal. I don't think you know who I am. No matter what, you're _still _beautiful. To me, to everyone." He kissed my forehead, and for a few seconds, I did feel beautiful. We stayed like that for a while, before he phone started ringing.

"Hey Will," he smiled. I nodded, telling him to take it.

"Yeah, my brother was wondering where you were?"

"Florida?" I looked over at him, discretely entranced in his conversation. It sounded vaguely familiar…

"Yeah, trouble's always like that down here. Noah got himself in shit too," He chuckled, but you could see the disapproval on his face. My eyes widened_; it couldn't be_.

"Over a girl."

I could hear a voice on the other side, "That's how mine started too. Tell him to back off and forget it okay? Not worth the court shit. What about you?" _It couldn't be. It couldn't Will from last year._

"I got myself the prettiest girl in the world, Will. You have no idea. She's perfect," Anyone could hear the grin in his voice. He looked over at me with full adoration. I could barely respond, so I smiled faintly.

"Yeah, we'll meet up soon."

"Dope, later, dude." He put the phone down, and looked in my eyes. He leaned in for a kiss, but pushed away. He raised his eyebrows.

"Was that…Will Cash?" I asked, hesitantly. He slowly nodded, intertwining my fingers that were on his chest with his.

"Yeah, why?" He asked, curious. I immediately stood up. With a confused look on his face, he followed me but didn't say a word.

"What happened?" Concern lacing his voice. I shook my head.

"I'm just-I don't feel very good," Which was partly true. My stomach felt weird after realizing Will was on the phone and was friends with Nick. He obliged to take me home. Grateful, I quietly in the car all the way home.

"Stay strong tonight, okay?" He asked, before I left the car. I smiled softly at him. I knelt over the gears and caressed his face with my palm. I kissed his lips tenderly. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip, and I grinned.

"If anything happens, you'll be the first to know, okay?" I promised him. He nodded, leaning in for on more kiss. "Bye babe, stay beautiful." He winked, as I walked back to the house. I saw Annabel's car parked outside, and I smiled slightly before frowning. What will the Will news do to her? Especially after Mom and Owen fighting?

I ran upstairs without acknowledging Mom. I felt like a baby taking sides, but I had to go with Owen on this one. Annabel was a bug influence on my life and I wasn't planning on changing that now. More than that though, she made Owen happy, and Owen happy is the best thing in the world.

I knocked on Owen's door, opening it without a response. Awkwardly, they were in middle of a heated kiss.

"Uh, guys?" I cleared my throat. Annabel turned bright pink, but smiled at my arrival. Owen chuckled, turning Annabel so she was in his lap.

"Yeah, Mal?" He asked, a slight annoyance to his voice. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry. Was I interrupting something?" I fake gagged. He smirked in return. He nodded, and Annabel flashed to a bright shade of pink.

"Before I go…I wanted to tell you guys something."

Owen gestured to the get on.

"Will Cash is coming back." I watched Annabel's reaction closely. Owen tightened his grip on her waist instinctively. She looked at me, surprised.

"What?"

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**A/N: Enjoy (: xx **

**Oh, and I know I said I was going to write a Will Cash spin off story but I don't know what happened to that, haha. But, you guys got this on still going. Thank you for supporting me again. Means a whole lot to me (: **

**Review maybe?**


	13. Chapter 13

Annabel's POV

"You know I'll protect you through everything, right?" Owen whispered in my ear. I nodded. He stroked my hair gently, whispering sweet nothings in my ear. He'll protect me, he'd fight for me. He promise he'd be by my side. I smiled, but in my mind, I tried not to listen to him. Yes, he loved me. Yes, I'm sure he meant it. Though, promises are a big thing Owen was known to break. He had quite a few issues in his life, at the moment, and I sure as hell didn't expect him to drop all of that to focus on me. Plus, I could take care of myself, just as well. I was strong enough.

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Will's POV

How did Mom convince to me to go back? It was just vacation, she said, just to visit. Visit, my ass. Two weeks. I had to cope with living hell for two weeks before I got to go back to Florida and back to my "new" life. New, as in I've finally got everything figured out. I had a 4.0 GPA, and I was practically top of the school. I had multiple scholarships to random colleges for football. I was doing really well. On top of that I had a beautiful, smart, smokin' hot girlfriend, who I loved with my whole world. And here I was with her, persuading her to come with me.

"You love me, right?" I asked, quietly. Leila shot me a look.

"What do you want?"

I focused my attention on the television. "Come with me, Lei. Two weeks." I glanced at her, slightly. She raised an eyebrow.

"You can't do this alone," She said, more of a statement, than a question. I cocked my head to the side, considering this. I shook my head, as she ducked under my arm, cuddling against my body.

"Why not?" She drawled, determined to get the whole thing out of me.

"I went through three jail arrests and plenty of fist fights that I can never escape out of there. I had bottled up my dad's death and went and ruined so many lives. I don't want to go back, even if it's just to visit. I hate it, and it's just going to bring back memories." I sighed, kissing her forehead. It was silent for a few moments, and I closed my eyes. The flashbacks had already started. I sighed. I had been such a dumbass.

"Okay," She replied, as I opened my eyes. Her bright, blue eyes looked at me, expectantly. I was confused for a second before she added, "Okay, I'll come with you." I smiled widely.

"Really?" I hugged her tight. For a second, I wondered why Leila and I fit so well together. We were both broken, and had promised to help each other. We kept our pasts a secret, though I opened myself up to her almost immediately. To be honest, I really wanted to know about her, but I didn't push her. I wasn't going to mess up again. I loosened my grip a little. She laughed, and pulled away gently.

"But only-" She started. Of course, there was always something.

"But only?" I repeated, curious.

"If you do what you have to do when you're down there," She finished, a soft smile on her face. I winced, remembering our conversation a few weeks ago when I told her about the visit. She turned down the volume on the TV, and faced me.

"You have to, Will. You need closure, these types of things will haunt you," She said, her tone matter-of-factly. I kissed her nose and she giggled.

"I promise I'll do them," I vowed, holding my right hand up. She wrapped her arms around my neck. Instantly, a shiver flew down my spine. Only Leila had that effect on me. I kissed her lips, tenderly. She was perfect. I smiled into the kiss, perfect as can be.

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Annabel's POV

I left Owen's early for two reasons. One, I was getting annoyed by the fact Owen kept acting as if I was a cowardly little feather that couldn't fend for itself. And two, Whitney was coming home. I'd put the Will thing away from my mind. Whitney was bringing home a boy too; that was bound to be interesting.

I pulled in the driveway, and saw a car in our driveway. My eyes widened in realization that Whitney was home. I flew in through the door.

"WHITNEY," I yelled. I probably looked like a maniac, but I ran through the house anyways.

"ANNABEL," She replied, catching me and hugging me tightly. I started crying frantically.

"My lord, Annabel, why are you crying?" She whispered, chuckling lightly. I shrugged, sleepily, the tears still streaming steadily.

"How long has it been since you slept?" She asked, concern lacing through her voice. I shrugged again, my eyes half closing. Woah. How long had it been since I slept? Owen and I had stayed awake together the past few nights to try and fix everything. How lo-My eyes rolled to the back of my head, and I was passed out.

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Owen's POV

"Tell Mom I'm at Annabel's, okay?" I told Mal before I left. Annabel had called me over for dinner with Whitney and her boyfriend, and I happily obliged. Things were still pretty rough with Mom. Now, the issue with Will. I sighed. Sometimes, I honestly wondered if God was just testing us the whole time or if this was his way of saying, '_You aren't meant to be_,' which I completely disagreed to. We were meant to be, we just needed to prove it to the world. I twisted the volume knob here, drowning my mind within the music. I didn't need to think right now.

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"Hey guys," I entered their glass house, tucking their key back in my pocket.

"Shhh," Whitney hushed me, as I quietly made my way to the living room. Whitney was situated on the couch, Annabel on her lap, sleeping soundly. I smiled; she was extremely beautiful when she slept. I looked on the other side of the couch, and saw a guy a few years older than me. He got up immediately.

"You must be Owen?" He asked, his southern accent clear in his voice. I raised my eyebrows, but shook his hand politely.

"And you must be…" I glanced behind him to see Whitney mouth his name, "Ross." He nodded, smiling. He awkwardly let go off his hand to fix his red hair; and I made my way to Whitney. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and knelt down next to Annabel.

Stroking her cheek, I asked Whitney softly, "How long has she been asleep?"

"Five hours, I think? I didn't have the heart to wake her up." She smiled, and got up, so we could switch places. I placed Belle's head softly on my lap, locking my hands with hers. Looking at her, I reassured myself we were meant to be together.

Whitney sat by Ross, and cuddled up against him. We talked casually for a few minutes, before Annabel's eyes fluttered open.

"Owen?" She whispered. I smiled down at her, bending half way to kiss her.

"Good evening, love," I replied, before placing my lips on hers.

"It's like a fairytale," Ross joked from behind. I smiled, and Belle immediately pulled away. She saw Whitney and Ross. Her grin couldn't get any wider before she jumped up.

"They're home!" She exclaimed. I grinned. I found it funny, what she said, because in a way, I was home, not them.

**A/N: I'm actually really loving Will's new character. Super sweet, gentlemen-like, and perfect, hehe (: **

**Enjoy (: And, the drama starts next chapter, full on. Just a warning, not many chapters left! By the way, how many of you WANT me to keep writing, regardless of what it is? Just wondering…**

**Review, Favorite, Alert ! **


	14. Chapter 14

Will's POV

"Leila," I said flatly.

"Will," she countered. I was so tempted to hit the accelerator and just speed off, but no: Leila's tight grip on my arm and her glare was enough to make me stay.

"You promised," she added, raising her eyebrows slightly. I nodded slowly, still apprehensive. Was I seriously about to do this? Leila's fingers seemed to answer for me as she swiftly twisted her hand around the keys, turning the ignition- and the car- off.

This was really happening.

I looked at the glass house in front of me, noting the line of cars on the driveway. We'd have a public audience…wonderful. Hesitantly, I unbuckle my seat belt and get out. As I open Leila's door, I stretch out my hand to her, for reassurance, for support. She, to my pleasure, intertwined our fingers. I pulled her gently, springing her off of her seat, as she landed right beside.

Before we started walking towards the house, she wrapped her slender arms around my waist. Her lips found my ear as she hugged me close.

"You'll be fine," she whispered, squeezing lightly. A small smirk imprinted on my lips and I kissed her on the lips. My mouth lingered above hers before replying truthfully, "Only with you, baby."

Annabel's POV

A subtle ring as heard again, for the third time. I pushed myself off of Owen's chest (very built chest if I say so myself) and sauntered to the door. Mom and Dad had left for their anniversary date an hour ago, and to much of our delight, Owen, Whitney, Ross, and I had the house to ourselves. Though it seemed we wouldn't be alone in peace for more than an hour. The door had been opened at least a thousand times, and the phone, good god, had not stopped ringing.

But the second I opened the door, my heart stopped.

Will Cash.

And a girl behind him…but Will.

Holy shit.

Owen's POV

Five minutes. It had been five minutes since there was silence at the door: no sound from either Annabel or whoever was at the door; and five minutes since I had to make sure she was okay. As soon as I entered the foyer, and then I saw her.

Leila Ellis.

And a guy in front of her…but Leila.

Holy shit.

Will's POV

I just stared at her for the longest time. Annabel. I had fun with her for what…not more than five minutes? I went to court for that. And jail. Anger coursed through my veins, but with Leila's tight grip on my hand, I realized what a douche I had been.

She looked so frightened, her eyes widening slowly as she saw the guy who destroyed her life - twice- in front of her. I ran my hand through my hair hesitantly and carefully as she stepped back a little.

"Annabel, I-" and my voice stopped when I saw Owen.

But he wasn't staring at me…he was staring behind me. At…Leila?

I turned my head only slightly to find Leila's eyes locked on Owen's. I was confused but as I saw the emotion in her eyes and jealousy slowly swirled in my head.

What the hell was going on?

Annabel's POV

As Will shifted to his right to look back at the girl, I finally noticed her. She was tall, as tall as Will. Her brown hair reached her hips and her blue eyes were intently staring…behind me?

I looked at Owen and then at her. Owen looked at me for a fraction of a second, an emotion of nostalgia crossing his eyes, before staring back at her. I looked back; my eyes directed at her hand, which _was_ linked in Will's, as it slowly slipped out.

What the hell was going on?

Leila's POV

It was him. It was Owen Greene. I closed my eyes and memories flew through my head.

"_I'm going to die now. I'm worthless. I'm going to swallow these pills and die." I thought as my shaky hands pulled out the bottle of pills as I snuck into a closet. The stupid Anger Management course therapy had finally ended but I was so relieved to finally end myself. I was done. I needed to die. If not for me, then for everyone who hates me- for everyone who doesn't give a shit about me. My hands shook like a tornado but within seconds, I got the bottle open. I looked at the pills, all so colorful, all so tempting, beckoning me to swallow them. And that what I did. I took the first one. And then another one. Then two more. Three more. And an-_

"_LEILA," a guy's voice yelled. Startled, my hand instinctively threw the bottle to the floor. Tears started rolling down my eyes and I looked at the guy in front of me. I recognized him from Anger Management- Owen Greene, was it? He looked at me with wide eyes and without hesitation, pulling me into his chest. I started crying and his arms tightly wrapped around me. My head started to turn, and thoughts flew into my head: Is this how I'm going to heaven? With a cute boy hugging me? Wow, heaven must be nice if this is just the beginning…and then my eyes rolled to the back of my head. I slumped against Owen, and I was gone. _

_Don't know how long it felt like, don't know how long it really was but when I opened my eyes, all I saw was white. There was a heart rate monitor to my left and a bag of fluids that was connected to my arm to my right. I was in a hospital. I was alive._

_Owen Greene had saved my life. _


	15. Final Author's Note

Hi, guys,

So here's the thing. I haven't updated this story in over an year. I am truly sorry for the few of you that followed and loved this story. Last year, my writing was everything to me. I solely focused on writing almost everyday and I hold this story very dear to my heart. In a few weeks, I'll be heading to college - my first year. I'm majoring in Journalism (and a little part of it has to do with you all and your love for my writing so thank you so much).

And while last year, I would have hated myself for not finishing this story...this year, I have to admit it that I honestly have no idea where this story would have gone. I am really sorry for leaving it unfinished and awkwardly. **HOWEVER**, if there IS popular demand for me to finish it off in a chapter or two, I think I just might. So, _please comment_, if something like that would interest you or not, so I know if it's actually worth it.

And finally, thank you so so much for your patience and time. The fact that my writing has even gotten one person really happy or excited is mind blowing to me. It means so much to me. So so so much.

Much love to everyone,

Vvvv1123 xx

P.S. If you all are very avid in seeing more writing from me, I do have a writing tumblr ( .com) and I post little writings that I have, so if you want take a peek or even follow if you'd life. Thank you again xxx


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